THE ARTIST Wins Top Prize at Critics Choice Awards; George Clooney Named Best Actor

With each passing awards ceremony, it’s looking more and more likely that we’re in for a fairly boring/predictable Oscars this year. The Artist continues to dominate the precursor ceremonies as it took home the Best Picture and Best Director prize at the Critics Choice Awards. On the acting side of things, George Clooney was named Best Actor for his work in The Descendants, and Viola Davis won Best Actress for The Help. The Artist is our clear frontrunner headed towards Oscar night, and I don’t really think anything else will be able to take it down. I can’t really complain about any of the acting wins, though for what it’s worth I think Brad Pitt gave the best performance of the year in Moneyball.

Elsewhere, Drive won Best Action Movie (though it’s really a drama) Bridesmaids won Best Comedy, and Rango was named Best Animated Feature. Hit the jump to see the full list of winners.

Best Film: The Artist

Best Director: Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist

Best Actor: George Clooney, The Descendants

Best Actress: Viola Davis, The Help

Best Supporting Actor: Christopher Plummer, Beginners

Best Supporting Actress: Octavia Spencer, The Help

Best Adapted Screenplay: Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin, Moneyball

Best Original Screenplay: Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris

Best Cinematography: War Horse, The Tree of Life (tie)

Best Editing: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Best Art Direction: Hugo

Best Makeup: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2

Best Sound: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2

Best Costume Design: The Artist

Best Score: The Artist

Best Visual Effects: Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Best Song: “Life’s a Happy Song” from The Muppets

Best Animated Feature: Rango

Best Documentary: George Harrison: Living in the Material World

Best Foreign Language Film: A Separation

Best Action Movie: Drive

Best Comedy: Bridesmaids

Best Young Actor/Actress: Thomas Horn, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close